Around ’51, Soviet camp nearly assassinated ruler (8)
I believe the answer is:
caligula
'camp nearly assassinated ruler' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'around '51 soviet' is the wordplay.
'around' becomes 'ca' (circa).
''5g' becomes 'LI' (Roman numerals).
'soviet' becomes 'gula' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'ca'+'li'+'gula'='CALIGULA'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for caligula that I've seen before include "Successor to Tiberius" , "Notoriously cruel Roman emperor, d. AD 24" , "imperial figure" , "Emperor after Tiberius" , "Emperor who threatened to make his horse a Consul" .)